An Introduction to the Chakras
Chakra is the Sanskrit word for “wheel.” The seven chakras as we know them are a modern Western interpretation of an ancient concept from Hinduism. However, there are parallel ideas and observations from healing systems and healers across cultures and time periods. The chakras are energy centers in and around the body. Each corresponds to a color and specific parts of the body. It also corresponds to particular mental and emotional experiences. These beautiful wheels of color are a brilliant way of illustrating the inseparable mind-body connection in human health and wellness. In this series, we’ll be exploring each chakra and holistic approaches to caring for them.
Manipura
This month, we’re starting our series right in the center with Manipura, or the Solar Plexus Chakra. The Solar Plexus Chakra is represented by a yellow circle that rests a few fingers above the navel. The symbol for Manipura is a ten-petaled lotus surrounding a downward pointing triangle.
The name Manipura means “place of the shining gem,” which is a perfect name for the seat of our energetic powerhouse. This chakra is connected to the fire element, or Agni in Sanskrit. Just like in Western thought, fire represents our passion and inspiration. Fire ignites our minds and drives us forward. It’s our motivating force.
To move us forward, just like an engine, fire requires fuel, which it converts into the vital energy that supports us. This gives us an important clue as to why its location is in the center of our being, right where our digestive organs sit. Digestion is the primary physiological process that correlates to this chakra.
The emotional processes that relate to this chakra involve our confidence, our willpower, and our self-esteem. Just as our body digests food to provide us with nutrition, our mind and spirit digest our experiences – and our responses to them – to create these essential elements of self.
To balance the Solar Plexus Chakra, a person needs to attend to both sides, the physical and the energetic. In this article, we’ll talk about ways to care for both.
Body
Gut Health
Gut health is essential to Solar Plexus health. The Solar Plexus Chakra, as our primary energy source, benefits from energy-dense foods. This is when we don’t need to feel so afraid of healthy carbohydrates, which can provide the fuel your body needs along with the fiber necessary to keep your digestion moving smoothly. We refer to these as as prebiotics. Probiotics are another essential for a healthy digestive system. You can find them in supplements, but we like them best when they occur naturally in food. Try tasty fermented kefir, kimchi, and kombucha for getting your gut the good germs it needs.
Navasana
Boat pose is a classic way to strengthen your core, giving you the strength and stability to carry yourself with a posture of confidence and grace. Additionally, core work helps to build the Agni within.
Sit on the floor with knees bent, and grab onto the back of your thighs with your hands. Lean back and slowly lift your legs so just your toes are touching the floor. Stay there if that’s enough for you. If you’d like to go farther, you can lift your feet all the way off the floor. Keep your back straight so that your body makes a V shape. Experiment with straightening your legs and holding your arms out straight toward your toes if you feel comfortable letting go.
Once you’ve gotten this one down, you can add twists or practice lowering almost to a lying position for baby boat then returning to that V shape.
Breath of Fire
Breathe into your stomach. Feel (and see) it expand with your inhalation. Then let your abdominal muscles lead the way for the exhalation by flexing them deeply to push the air out. Once you’ve grown comfortable with this breath, you can begin to build on it toward the traditional yogic “Breath of Fire” technique. In this style of pranayama, the breath is quite rapid and forceful. To engage it more deeply, we recommend working with a yoga teacher or at least watching a video online before trying on your own.
Mind and Spirit
Affirmations
One great way to improve your confidence and energy is to use affirmations. These positive statements help us by breaking cycles of negative self-talk and creating new cycles in which we’re able to speak what we may know to be true and what we’d like to begin to believe into our consciousness and lived experience. Here are some of our favorite affirmations for the Solar Plexus Chakra:
- I feel my own power.
- I am free to express myself in a powerful way.
- I am powerful, I feel, I am confident, I know.
- I stand in my own personal power.
- I courageously radiate my own power.
Communing with the Sun
Our solar plexus is our inner sun. It benefits from connecting with the outer sun. Taking up space is one way to cultivate confidence. The superhero pose in which one stands with legs apart, chest lifted, and hands on hips as if there was a cape flowing in the wind behind their back is one excellent way to do this. We’re recommending a yoga pose that uses a similar physical posture to connect the rays of our own energy to those of the sun.
Head outside early in the day. If you’re not going to be outside for longer than this exercise, you don’t need to apply sunscreen. A few minutes of bare exposure is often viewed positively for Vitamin D production.
Stand with legs spread as wide as they’ll comfortably go with toes pointed slightly in. Make sure your knees aren’t locked and can bend slightly. Spread your arms wide to either side with palms facing away from you. You’ll look like DaVinci’s Vitruvian Man or a five-pointed star.
Feel the rays of the sun as they caress your skin. Allow your gaze to rest comfortably ahead of your or close your eyes. Smile slightly and focus on the sun beams that hit your fingertips and the crown of your head. Move your awareness downward and inward, and see them culminating in a bright yellow ball within your center. Visualize the light growing and growing inside you. Once you feel full of light, imagine shining your own sunbeams from your fingers and toes.
Stones
Citrine and Golden Healer are two stones we love for the Solar Plexus Chakra. They both reflect the radiance of the sun and help to create positivity and healing within the mind and body. Meditating with one of these stones can help you to focus on the effects you’re seeking to strengthen your Solar Plexus Chakra.
Additional Support
California Poppy
One plant we love for the Solar Plexus Chakra is plentiful this time of year – the California poppy. It’s excellent for soothing and relaxing, which means it’s a great choice for calming the nerves of your enteric system. When stress has your stomach in knots and your confidence wobbling, give this herb a try/ You can read more about this vibrant flower in last year’s post about them.
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is another wonderful herb for calming the mind and body. This is an adaptogen often used for anxiety and mental health support. A well-regulated nervous system is one of the best routes to a well-regulated digestive system. Just make sure you’re balanced in your approach to this and any other herbs. Studies have shown that overuse can have unwanted effects on the liver.
Peppermint
Peppermint supports digestion. It is known to help with stomach and bowel issues ranging from nausea and indigestion to gas and bloating. Reach to this tried and true classic for direct support in times of immediate gastric discomfort.
Turmeric
Sunny yellow turmeric is the perfect compliment to your Solar Plexus Chakra. This root aids in digestion among a host of other benefits. Additionally, it is thought to help with liver dysfunction and diabetes, both issues that derive from an inability to process what enters our body, be it sugar, toxins, or fat.
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